Posted on May 18, 2012In both Virginia Beach and Norfolk, it is illegal for anyone under age 18 to be out after 11 p.m. without a parent present. There are exceptions for students who are leaving work or a school-related event, but some worry that too many teens are out after curfew.

One of the concerns is the danger of driving late at night. Statistics show that after 9 p.m. the per mile crash rate for teen drivers is three times higher than daytime driving. There are many reasons for this, including:

Drunk driving

Driving while overly tired

Recreational driving (driving just for fun, not to go to school, work, etc.)

Decreased visibility (a special problem for novice drivers)

Even if a teen driver is not affected by any of the above factors, the later it gets, the more likely a drunk or impaired driver is behind the wheel of another vehicle on the road.

How to Protect Your Teen Driver From a Nighttime Crash in Virginia Beach

One very good piece of advice is to not allow your children to be out past curfew. Though the law can be hard to enforce, it is in place to protect your teenagers and to keep them as safe as possible.

If your child has a late-night event to attend, drive them and their friends to and from the event. This way, your child is with you and thereby not breaking curfew. In addition, you will know that they are getting a safe, sober ride home.

It takes a lot of work to enforce the teen curfew. However, our Virginia Beach personal injury lawyers have seen enough teens injured, even killed, during late night accidents to assert that fighting your teen on this issue may be well worth the fallout.